Healthcare is a top concern for 44% of New Zealanders as the country prepares for a November election amid reports of strained emergency departments and staffing shortages.
Key facts
- •Ipsos data indicates healthcare is the second-highest concern for New Zealanders, trailing only the cost of living.
- •One in four adults in New Zealand reports being unable to access a general practitioner.
- •The National-led coalition has been criticized for hiring 54 new full-time nurses against a goal of 2,000.
- •Data shows New Zealand's hospital bed and doctor counts are below the OECD average, while health expenditure per capita is above average.
- •The National and Labour parties are currently tied at 28% in the latest 1News Verian poll.
As New Zealand approaches a November election, healthcare has emerged as a central political issue, with 44% of the population identifying it as their primary concern. Citizens and medical professionals report significant challenges, including long wait times, emergency department overcrowding, and a shortage of doctors and nurses. The current National-led coalition faces criticism over its management of the sector, while opposition parties have proposed various policy changes to address access and funding.
By the numbers
Systemic Pressures and Staffing Shortages
Medical professionals, including Dr. Katie Ben of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, report that the system is struggling to provide safe care due to insufficient beds and staff. In Nelson, there are 17 fewer nurses than three years ago, and many healthcare workers are reportedly moving to Australia for higher pay. The system is also managing an aging population and a rise in patients presenting to emergency departments because they cannot access primary care.
Government and Opposition Perspectives
Health Minister Simeon Brown maintains that the system is improving, citing that 75% of emergency department patients are seen within six hours and that investments in private hospitals have facilitated 40,000 additional elective surgeries. However, critics note that only 54 of the 2,000 promised full-time nurses have been hired. The Labour Party has proposed policies including free GP visits and guaranteed jobs for graduate nurses, while the National Party has pledged to increase the medicines budget by $604 million.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Health.
